10 percent penalty

Distributions taken from an IRA before attaining the age of 59 ½ are generally subject to an early distribution penalty of 10% of the taxable amount of the distribution. Congress put the penalty in place to deter IRA owners from using their funds before their retirement. However, Congress also realized that sometimes we really do have a need for these funds so they made some exceptions to the penalty. One of these exceptions is the disability exception. But there is a catch.

Distributions taken from an IRA before attaining the age of 59 ½ are generally subject to an early distribution penalty of 10% of the taxable amount of the distribution. Congress put the penalty in place to deter IRA owners from using their funds before their retirement. However, Congress also realized that sometimes we really do have a need for these funds so they made some exceptions to the penalty. One of these exceptions is the disability exception. But there is a catch.

On August 30, 2016 IRS released Announcement 2016-30 that allows for streamlining employer plan loan procedures and liberalizing hardship distribution rules for most employer plans. The following procedures are in effect until January 17, 2017 for victims of the storms and flooding in Louisiana that began on August 11, 2016.

When you leave an employer, you have an important decision to make. If you participated in a company plan, you need to decide what to do with your money. Should you roll over your funds to an IRA? Here are 3 exceptions to the early distribution penalty that just apply to IRAs.

There are two things to keep in mind when you are discussing ages and retirement plans. One is the age itself and the other is what does that age mean. For example, when is age 55 not 55? You will understand as you read further into the important ages associated with retirement plans.

With the calendar well into May, wedding season has arrived in full force. You have probably heard the saying that marriage has its benefits. Well, this is especially true when it comes to the IRA rules. If you are married, you may have some IRA options that would not have been available to you if you had not taken the plunge and tied the knot. Here are 4 IRA benefits you may have if you are married.

401(k)s and IRAs share a lot of similarities. They are both retirement plans. They both can help you lower your tax bill today, provide tax-deferred growth and can help provide an income source in retirement. That said, there are also many differences between the two types of retirement accounts. Some are relatively insignificant and probably won’t impact your planning or decision-making process, but other differences can make one type of account far superior to the other in your particular situation. With that in mind, we explore 5 things you can do with a 401(k) that you can’t do with an IRA.

Are you under age 59 ½ and looking to access your IRA funds without being hit with the 10% early distribution penalty? Taking substantially equal periodic payments, or “72(t)” payments as they are sometimes called, from your IRA may be an option for you. With 72(t) payments, you can take early distributions from your IRA and avoid a penalty. Sound too good to be true? Well, these payments are subject to many strict rules. You should understand the restrictions before you jump in. Here are 10 rules you should know about 72(t) payments before you decide that they are the answer for you.